Chanukkah or Feast of Lights takes place during the Hebrew month of Kislev, which usually falls in December.
This year the festival of Chanukkah is celebrated on December 2 to 8, 2010.
On 1 December, is lit the first candle (candles lighting on Dicember 1).
Chanukkah: the origins of the festival
The history of the occurrence of Chanukkah is told in I and II Maccabees, the apocryphal Bible. (...)
During his reign, Alexander the Macedonian, Alexander the Great, subjects first Greece, then the regions from the Persian empire, then turns his attention to the Mediterranean countries, and as always Judea is a way of primary between East and West is important for trade and for military purposes, the conquest of Alexander without finding any resistance from the population because up until then had been under Persian rule. The various provinces
empire founded by Alexander, though subject to central government, have substantial autonomy. The young emperor, lover of Greek culture, is working to spread it among all peoples subdued. And 'he, in fact, to begin what is called the Hellenistic era, an era of great artistic and cultural renewal, which ended with the conquest of Greece by the Roman Empire.
Jewish tradition says that Alexander also was deeply impressed by the culture of the Elders of Israel with whom he had frequent contacts, on this argument, the Midrash, which is always on a historical basis, provides interesting evidence. However, many Jews allowed themselves to be influenced by culture Greek Hellenism, now then at the height of its splendor.
religious and social Jewish Civilization, based on the Torah and the prophetic literature that teach monotheism and equality of all men, however, is different from the Greek roots and his ideals that rises on strength and physical beauty, its artistic value of 'idolatry. This cultural distance prevents Hellenism penetrate deep into the population, especially among closely related to Hebrew and faithful to the ideals.
the death of Alexander the Great (fourth century. A. It was Christian) the kingdom was dismembered and rulers of various states become the Diadochi.
Here is a very confusing period of struggle, the end of which the majority of Alexander's empire was divided between Egypt under the rule of Lagidi and Syria under the Seleucid ones.
Judea is initially in Egypt on the throne of the three kings who succeed lagidi one of them, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, commissioned the translation of the Bible in greek: the fact of great importance because by this time the Bible was written in Hebrew, was virtually inaccessible to the cultures of different languages, can be read and studied by non-Jews.
This reading is a heavy influence on the classes more culturally prepared and philosophers already looking for a religious and social, except that the age: and this is how that all subsequent civilization will be strongly influenced by Hellenistic culture, both Jewish.
follows a period of struggle between the Seleucids and Lagidi are reflected in Judea, alternate with moments of more or less peaceful, and ultimately, Judea came under the dominion of the Seleucids.
Antiochus III, king of Syria, not under power too oppressive, but will retain the right to dismiss and appoint the chief Jewish priests. Under Antiochus IV there will be an outrageous power struggle between two Jewish figures, who were Hellenized in their names Jason and Menelaus fight involving morally and materially the entire Jewish population.
Many of the people of Judea rather sympathized with the Hasidim, Jews loyal to the laws of the Torah, because they believed that the excessive influence of Hellenism on Jewish culture could lead to the annulment of his identity.
becomes king Antiochus IV, who is to govern the peoples of different cultures and unequal: he believes they can overcome this difficult situation by requiring everyone, including Jews, a total Hellenization which also meant the acceptance of idolatrous worship.
The Hellenistic culture had penetrated without difficulty among the Jewish population fascinated by art, love for beauty, from Greek philosophy. Young people were keen to gymnastics and enthusiastically attended the gymnasium, gyms.
But none of the predecessors of Antiochus IV had interfered in the Jewish ideological persuasion, preserving, at least in the eyes of the Jews, their own civil liberty, essentially the same in their culture with religious freedom.
The obligation to accept the cult of the Greeks that implied recognition of all its picturesque and colorful Olympus, had not caused any resentment among the idolatrous people accustomed to always add with great ease even the gods of their conquerors, in Judah, however, this taxation caused a violent reaction, especially among the Hasidim, the faithful, the pious, which, as already said, had always looked Hellenism with suspicion, and also had never been in favor of the Seleucid dynasty that had too much meddling in religious matters Jewish. But the powerful
Antiochus IV Epiphanes who calls himself "God manifested, but which the Jews call Epimane, the" crazy ", can not afford to have a small population such as that of the Jews remains openly loyal to an ideology monotheistic in contrast with the state and completely different from that of other peoples of his empire.
Faced with stubborn refusal to accept the idolatry of the Jews of Greek, assumes an attitude of open persecution, which aims to strike at the heart of the Jewish faith: the 25th of Kislev is built an altar to Jupiter on the Temple Mount, the study of the Torah prohibits the practice of circumcision, the observance of the Sabbath and holidays. The Torah scrolls are burned in the public squares. In Jerusalem is a massacre carried out among the population loyal to Judaism and built a fortress, the citadel, guarded by Syrian troops. Among Jews
occurring acts of heroism: the old Eleazar is promised his life provided that it makes even the act of eating pork in order to give a demonstration to the people. Eleazar refuses and is killed.
Anna, mother of seven children, urging them to reject the imposition of Antiochus to bow to idols, and invites them to openly proclaim their faith in God: his children are tortured and killed before his eyes, just ahead of his own fate.
But the Jewish people did not give up: the commandment of circumcision is done secretly, the festivals celebrated in the privacy of homes, the Torah taught in secret.
Antiochus I hate the passive resistance of the population in different countries and sends its officers to build altars on which to sacrifice to the gods unclean animal, particularly pigs, the Jews themselves. To make the sacrifice are chosen on purpose eminent personalities of the Jewish world. If they refuse they are killed. Antiochus hoped that seeing their leaders openly and publicly desecrate their beliefs, even the population surrender to the Syrian taxation and if this attempt fails, however, hopes to break the will of the people in front of the martyrdom of the leaders.
Some Syrian officials come to Modi'in, a small town where he had fled the family of Mattathias the Hasmonean, who was the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest.
there is also built an altar and is forced to make the sacrifice of Mattathias.
Mattathias kills the work, then destroys the altar.
E 'the uprising.
Mattathias and his five children, Jochanan, Simeon, Judah, Eleazar and Jonathan, Modi'in leave and take refuge on the inaccessible mountains of Judea.
The news of this act courage spreads. A new hope lights up the soul. Around Mattathias and his sons gather all those who are intolerant Syrian oppression, they choose the path of rebellion to maintain their freedom. On the mountains of Judea are formed collection centers and shelters in which to live, and organizing actions against the Syrians.
Judas, one of the sons of Mattathias, took command of the rebels.
occurs as the first guerrilla warfare in history: a guerrilla war that gives no respite to the troops sire preventing their movement from one city to another, catching by surprise and disarmed the squads in transit, and cause problems throughout the well organized and powerful war machine sira. The Jews fought
improvisation, but they have a good knowledge of the area and the mountains, and above all faith and an ideal to defend.
This tactic of continuous pounding on the enemy deserves the title of Judah Maccabi, Maccabi to "hammer", an epithet which are subsequently also designated all his brothers in fact known as the Maccabees brothers.
The guerrilla turns into a real war: the enthusiasm of Judah and his men has often prevailed on the powerful enemy army. The attacks made by Jews are preceded by speeches of Judah, by prayers and fasting.
Antiochus sends new generals and new soldiers in Judea, but it is in a difficult political situation. Moreover, it is the Mediterranean a new, dangerous power: Rome, which is fighting the Punic wars for domination of the Mediterranean.
The victories put Judah in a position to attack Jerusalem. The Syrian fortress, the citadel falls, the temple is free, but must be rededicated with the lighting of the Ner Tamid, a light that should never, under any circumstances, be turned off because of the watchful presence and witness of faith people in God
But the Syrians had been raging in the temple by stealing and destroying everything that was there, even the consecrated oil needed to turn the light: all the time is found a small phial still sealed, but its contents will provide light for a few hours and make more needed at least eight days!
is an argument among the priests: you have to postpone the consecration of eight days, or re-consecrate the Temple immediately knowing that the oil will not be enough time to prepare della'altro and then at some point you off?
Faith has the upper hand, the light is turned on and rededicated the Temple.
And, says the Midrash, the miracle happens: the little bit of oil lasting eight days, and the Ner Tamid is turned off.
In the Treaty of Mishnah Shabbat, we read:
What is Chanukkah? When the Greeks entered the Temple desecrated all the oil that was there, but when the kings of the Hasmonean house and overpowered them were victorious, sought in the Temple and found only un'ampollina oil with the seal of the high priest that contained only enough oil for a day and a miracle happened and it lasted for eight days.
was established as the Feast of Chanukkah, "inauguration" and then "rededication," and the Masters felt right that lasted eight days, even analogous to the celebration of Sukkoth, the longest established of the sacred feasts of the Torah (cf. Lv 23 ).
During these eight days in every Jewish house lights are switched on, to perpetuate the I remember the miracle of the oil and celebrate the victory of faith.
And 'is significant that the lights are turned on by the window for passersby to see, and rejoice derive a warning not only of the next life is sacred, but also its ideals.
Source: The stones of the time of Elijah and Clara Kopciowski
http://www.comunitadibologna.it/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=275
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: historical aspects
The first version of the story of Chanukkah can be found in the first and second book of Maccabees, these two books are not part of the Torah, belong to the apocryphal literature. Note that Chanukkah is the only holiday that has no basis in the Torah.
In these two books, is not mentioned nor the vial of oil and the miracle. The festival lasts eight days of Chanukkah with an analogy to the holiday of Succoth. This is because the Maccabees were not able to celebrate Sukkot in the mountains because they were refugees. Another reason is that to consecrate a sanctuary, it takes seven days of purification, allowing seal on the eighth day. It 'also linked to the fact that circumcision of male children are running on the eighth day of life.
Chanukkah is also mentioned by Josephus (historian jew in the first century after the EC). Even there, no mention of the miracle but the festival is called "Light."
Chanukkah is not even mentioned in the Mishnah as one would expect to find the written rules of how to light the candles. Chanukkah is finally mentioned in Gemarra (Shabbat 21b) as the question "What is Chanukkah?" The answer then to speak of the miracle of the oil.
Hannukah was celebrated as the first memory of the victory of the Maccabees over the Greeks. Then was celebrated as a re-consecration of the Temple (Chanukkah also means Consecration). Finally, he was celebrated for the miracle of the oil.
Over time, the importance of the victory of the Maccabees and declined to make sure that Chanukkah was not forgotten, the emphasis was placed on its spiritual meaning and the symbol of the Menorah. During the Middle Ages, remained on Chanukkah because of the miracle of the oil even if the story of the victory deiMaccabei was well known. This story is told in fact Meghillat Antiochus insisting on the martyrdom of the Jews (many Jews preferred to die than eat pork or bow before an idol). Days later and even today, the holiday of Chanukkah was influenced by the temporal proximity of the Christmas party and it is customary to give money or gifts.
E 'note that is not the victory of Judah Maccabee and the rededication of the Temple independence that led to the city of Jerusalem. (Judea was still under Syrian domination). Besides this, Chanukkah commemorates the victory of the weak the strong.
(Source: Summary from the book "The Jewish Festival of Michael Strassfeld)
http://www.comunitadibologna.it/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=359
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:
the eighth day of the eighth day of Channukah has a special meaning as at the height of the holiday.
The number 7 represents the week, the Sabbath, sabbatical years, the humerus (7X7).
The number 8 is equal to 7 +1, is a day that things were completed. 8, and then over time is eternity. On the eighth day of Chanukkah is the essence of Light and the memory that is forever present in the world.
(Source: Summary from the book "The Jewish Festival of Michael Strassfeld)
http://www.comunitadibologna.it/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=363
